Hydraulic control valve



April 12, 1955 5 a DORKINS HYDRAULIC CONTROL VALVE 2 Shets-Sheet-l Filed March 1. 1952 INVENTQR. Evan E. Dorkms.

ATTORNEYS.

April 12, 1955 s, a DORKINS HYDRAULIC CONTROL VALVE Filed March 1, 1952 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mmvigm Evan E. Dor/rms.

ATTORNEYS.

2,705,971 HYDRAULIC CONTROL VALVE Evan E. Dorkins, Ottawa, Kans., assignor to Ottawa Steel, Inc., Ottawa, Kans., a corporation of Kansas Application March 1, 1952, Serial N 0. 274,425

3 Claims. (Cl. 137-622) This invention relates to hydraulic control valves for selectively controlling a plurality of jacks, rams or like hydraulic motors, individually or simultaneously, and more particularly to such control valves operable to control a plurality of jacks or rams by means of a single control stick or lever.

In bucket loaders wherein a bucket is pivotally mounted on booms which are raised and lowered by an hydraulic ram and the bucket tilted by another hydraulic ram it is desirable to be able to operate the rams individually and also at the same time as in tilting the bucket during the and a diagonal plane eliects operation of raising and lowering thereof. Also in many other structures having two or more hydraulic motors for effecting motions in different planes it is desirable to have selective operation of the motors in both direction and speed by means of a single lever for ease and convenience of control by the operator and also permit him to have one hand free for other purposes.

The objects of the present invention are to provide an hydraulic control valve structure for controlling the operation of a plurality of rams with a single control lever; to provide such a control valve wherein the control lever is movable in oneplane forcontrolling individual operation of one ram and in a plane perpendicular thereto for individual operation of the other ram, said lever being movable in directions intermediate said planes for efiecting simultaneous operation of bothrams; to provide such a control valve structure wherein movement of the control lever in a direction intermediate one of said planes both rams at different rates of speed; to provide a control valve structure having two parallel valve plungers operatively connected to a pair of pivotally connected arms, one of which is pivotally mounted on a stationary support for movement about an axis perpendicular to'the axis of pivotal connection of the arms and a single control lever for moving the arms to selectively move one or both valve plungers; and to provide an hydraulic control valve struc-' ture and single control lever and mounting therefor for controlling a pair of rams or the like individually or both at the same time, that is compact and economical to manufacture with positive connections for substantially instantaneous and efficient operation.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the present invention, I have provided improved details'of structure, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig.1 is a perspective view of an hydraulic control valve structure and control lever mounting therefor.

Fig. 2 is a'horizontal sectional view through the control valve structure on the line 2-2, Fig. 1, portions of the valve housing being broken away to better illustrate the arrangement of the valves.

Fig. 3 is a vertical ,sectional view through the valve operating arms on the line 33, Fig. 6

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the valve operating arms and mounting therefor.

Fig. 5 is a side'elevation of the valve operating arms moved by the control lever to actuate both valves.

' Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 6-6, Fi 3.

l ig. 7 is a diagrammatic view' illustrating primary movements of the control lever for operating the valves.

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view of the hydraulic system including the control valve and rams.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

1 designates an h draulic control valve structure havm Patented Apr. 12, 1955 valve housings 2 and 3, each of which has bores 4 extending longitudinally therein for slidably mounting valve members, such as plungers 5. While separate valve housings 2 and 3 areshown and described, a single housmg having spaced parallel valve bores could be utilized. Whether one or two housings are utilized, they are arranged and mounted on a suitable support 6 in such a manner that the bores 4 are parallel and when arranged in horizontal position the bores open from the same end,

of the housings and are spaced and on difierent elevations for connection with operating mechanism 7, as later described.

The valve housings and valves therein may be of any conventional structure, however, in the illustrated ar-- rangement each of the valve housings is provided with suitable packing 8 and a packing gland 9 at the opening of the respective bore 4 for forming aliquid seal around the valves 5. The construction of the valve housings, valves and passages therein may be identical so that only one of them need to be described. Each of the valve housings has bypass ducts 10 connecting the liquid pressure inlets 11 with the liquid discharge 12, the bypass passages intersecting the bores 4 in registry with a groove 13 on the respective valve 5 when the valve is in neutral position, the groove 13 being of such length' that when the valve is moved flow through the bypass passage is throttled and cut off completely when liquid under pressure is being delivered to an hydraulic ram or the like to be operated.

Due to the arrangement of the bypass, the valve housings may be connected in series whereby the inlet 11 of the valve housing 2 is connected by a suitable pipe 14 to a suitable source of liquid under pressure, and the discharge 12 of the valve housing 2 is connected by a duct 15 with the inlet 11 of the valve housing 3,.the discharge 12 of the valve housing 3 being connected by a suitable pipe 16 leading to areservoir (not shown) for the hydraulic liquid. Each of the valve bodies is provided with bores 17 spaced from the bores 4 and having communication with the bypass passage 10 between the inlet 11 and bore 4. Counterbores 18, preferably coaxial with the bores 17, extend into the valve bodies and terminate in shoulders 19 to form seats for ball valves 20 to close the bores 17 except when'predetermined pressure exists therein. A suitable spring'2l is arranged in the counterbore 18 with one end engaging the ball valve 20 and the other end engaging a plug 22 threaded into the valve body and closing the counterbore 18.

A pressure port 23 communicates with the counterbore 18 between the plug 22 and ball valve 20 and with the bore 4 to supply liquid under pressure to said bore between spaced lands 24 and 25 of the valve 5, the valve being reduced as at 26 between the lands to form an annular groove therebetween. Ports 27 and 28 are arranged on opposite sides of the pressure port 23 and spaced therefrom, said ports being so positioned that they are both closed by the lands 24 and 25 when the valve is in neutral position. The ports 27 and 28 of the valve housing 2 are connected by conduits 29 and 30 respectively to opposite ends of an hydraulic cylinder of a ram 31 to be operated. The ports 27 and 28 of the valve housing 3 are connected by conduits 32 and 33 respectively to opposite ends of an hydraulic cylinder of a ram 34 to be operated.

The valves 5 are provided with annular grooves or reduced portions 35 and 36 on opposite sides of the lands 24 and 25 respectively from the reduced portion 26, the grooves 35 and 36 registering withoutlet ports 37 and 38-respectively when the valve is in neutral position. The ports 37 and 38 communicate with a passage 39 leading to the discharge 12. A port 40 preferably smaller in size than the port 23 and oppositely disposed therefrom provides communication between the bore 4 at the reduced portion 26 of. the valve with the passage 39. When the valves 5 are moved longitudinally of the bores 4, for example inwardly in the housings, the groove 13 is moved out of registry with the bypass 10 to throttle the flow therethrough and the land 24 is moved to open the port 27 for flow of liquid from the inlet 11 through the bore 17, counterbore 18, port 23, bore 4, port 27 and through the conduit 29 to the hydraulic cylinder of the ram. The land 24 also closes the outlet port 37. This mam movement of the valve moves the land 25 to position same between-the port 23 and port 28 and also registers the groove 36 with the port 28 and port 38 to provide communication therebetween whereby liquid can flow moves the land 25 to close the port 38 and open the port 28 and the land 24 to move between the port 23 and port 27, whereby the fluid under pressure from the pressure port 23 flows through the bore 4, port 28, conduit 30, to the cylinder of the ram and the fluid at the other end of the cylinder moves through the conduit 29, port 27, groove 35, port 37, passage 39 to the discharge 12. Some of the pressure fluid moves directly through the pressure port 23 around the reduced portion 26 of the valve and through the small port 40 and passage 39 to the discharge 12 of the valve housing 2 whereby there is always a supply of liquid under pressure to the valve housing 3 for operation of the ram 34. Movement of the valve in the housing 3 controls the flow of pressure fluid for operation of the ram 34 in the same maner. While the valve housings are shown connected in series, it is believed obvious that the inlets 11 thereof could be individually connected to the pressure pipe 14 and each of the discharges 12 could be connected directly to the reservoir (not shown).

The support 6 is provided with an extension 42 arranged under the projecting portion of the valve in the housing 3. The extension 42 has upwardly extending, spaced cars 42' having apertures 43 for receiving a pin 44, the axis of which is spaced below and perpendicularto the axis of the valve in the valve housing 3. The pin'44 extends through an aperture 45 of an arm 46 to rotatablymount same, said arm having upwardly extending spaced ears 47 with elongated openings 48 to mount a pin 49 which also extends through a register ing opening 50 in the reduced end 51 of the valve 5 to pivotally connect the valve 5 of the valve housing 3 with the arm 46. The axis of the pin 49 is parallel with the axis of the pin 44 whereby rocking movement of the arm 46 about the axis of the pin 44 will effect longitudinal movement of the valve 5 to control the movement of liquid through the various ports and passages in the valve housing 3. The axis of the pin 44 is preferably in the same plane as the axis of the valve 5 of the valve housing 2, whereby the spacing between the axes of the pins 44 and 49 is the same as the ditference in elevation of the valves 5 of the respective housings 2 and 3.

The arm 46 has an extension 52 projecting therefrom toward the valve 5 of the valve housing 2, said extension 52 being above the adjacent ear 42 and extending from the arm 46 longitudinally of the pin 44. The extension 52 has an aperture 53 for rotatably mounting a pin 54 with the axis thereof perpendicular to the axis of the pin 44, the axis of the pin 34 being preferably in the same plane as defined by the axes of the pins 44 and 49. The pin 54 extends upwardly from the extension 52 and through a bore 55 of a second arm 56 for rotary movement of said second arm about the pin 54, said second arm having a face 57 which rests on the upper face 58 of the arm extension 52. v

The second'arm 56 has a depending portion'59 provided with a bore 60 for rotatably mounting the shank 61 of a yoke 62. When the valves 5 are both in neutral position the shank 61 is coaxial with the pin 44. The yoke 62 has spaced ears 63 which straddle a reduced end 64 of the valve 5 in the valve housing 2, the reduced end of said valve having an aperture 65 mounting a pin 66 which extends through aligned, elongated apertures 67 in the'ears 63, whereby rocking movement of the second arm 56 about the axis of the pin 54 will effect longitudinal movement of the valve 5 in the valve housing 2.

An operating handle 68 is suitably secured to the second arm 56 in spaced relation to the pin 54 and shank 61; The end of the handle 68 preferably extends into an opening 69 in said second handle 56 and is secured in place by a setscrew 70. The handle or lever 68 preferably extends from the second arm 56 in parallel relationship to the valves 5 when in neutral position. The neutral position of the control lever 68 is indicated at 71 (Fig. 7). When the control lever is moved to position 72, the valve 5 in valve housing 2 is moved to supply liquid under pressure to the conduit 29. When the control lever is moved to position 73, the second arm 56 is rocked about the axis of the pin 54 to operate the valve 5 in the valve housing 2 to supply liquid under pressure in the conduit 30.

When the control lever 68 is moved to position 74, relative rotation of the yoke 62 and second arm 56 causes the valve 5 and valve housing 2 to remain in neutral position but the arm 46 is rotated about the axis of the pin 44 to move the valve 5 in the valve housing 3 to supply liquid under pressure to the conduit 32. Reverse movement of the control lever to the position 75 rocks the arm 46 whereby liquid under pressure is supplied to the conduit 33. Movement of the control lever to the position 76 moves both arms and valves whereby liquid under pressure is supplied to conduits 29 and 32. The liquid will be supplied to said conduits by movement of the control lever to any position between positions 72 and 74, but the quantity of liquid in the respective conduits will vary according to the relative positions of the valves and thereby vary the speed of operation of the rams 31 and 34. In like manner, movement of the control lever to position 77 will supply liquid under pressure to conduits 29 and 33. Movement of the control lever to position 78 will supply liquid under pressure to conduits 30 and 33 and movement of the control lever to the position 79 will supply liquid under pressure to conduits 30 and 32. In any of these positions where liquid under pressure is supplied to the hydraulic cylinder of the ram through one conduit, the other end of the cylinder is connected through the other conduit of the respective valve housing for movement of the liquid therethrough to the discharge. The arrangement of a control lever and relative connection and mounting of the arms and their relationship to the valves provides selective, individual and simultaneous control of the hydraulic rams both as to direction and relative rates of delivery of liquid to said rams.

It is therefore believed obvious that I have provided a simple, eflicient, positive, single lever control of a plurality of hydraulic rams or the like for selective speed and direction of operation.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: v 1. In a control valve mechanism, an elongated valve housing having spaced parallel elongated valve chambers opening from one end of the housing, a control valve slidable longitudinally in each of said valve chambers, a bracket rigidly mounted relative to the valve housing, an arm mounted on the bracket at the end of the housing from which the valves extend for pivotal movement about an axis spaced from and perpendicular to the direction of movement of one of the valves, said arm extending transversely of said one valve, said pivotal axis of the arm and the axial center of the other valve being substantially in the same plane, said arm having a portion extending perpendicularly thereof toward the plane of said one valve, means pivotally connecting the said one valve to the arm with the axis of the pivotal connection being parallel to the pivotal axis of said arm, a pin mounted on the arm intermediate the control valves with the axis of said pin substantially in a plane with the pivotal axis of the arm which plane is perpendicular to the plane defined by the pivotal axis of the arm and the axial center of the other valve, a second arm pivotally mounted on said pin, a shank rotatably mounted on the second arm and arranged coaxially of the pivotal axis of the firstnamed arm when the arms are in neutral positions, means pivotally connecting said other valve to the shank with the. axis of the pivotal connection perpendicular to the ax s of the shank and perpendicular to the axial center of said other valve, and an operating lever fixed to the second arm in spaced relation to the pin and shank and extending from the second arm whereby movement of the lever n a plane perpendicular to the axis of the pin swings said second arm about the pin and moves said other valve individually and movement of the lever in a plane perpendicular to the pivotal axis of the firstnamed arm swings both arms about the pivotal axis of the first-named arm and the shank and moves said one valve individually and movement of the lever in a direction intermediate said planes swings the first and second arms about the pivotal axes of the first-named arm and pm respectively and moves both valves simultaneously.

2. A single lever control for a plurality of valves arranged with longitudinally movable parallel valve members, a support, an arm mounted on the support for pivotal movement about an axis spaced from and perpendicular to the direction of movement of one of the valve members, said arm extending transversely of said one valve member and having a portion extending perpendicularly thereof toward the plane of said one valve member, means pivotally connecting said one valve member to the arm with the axis of the pivotal connection being spaced from and parallel to the pivotal axis of said arm, a second arm pivotally mounted on the first-named arm with the pivotal axis of said second-named arm perpendicular to the pivotal axis of the first-named arm and substantially in a plane defined by the pivotal axes of the first-named arm and the pivotal connecting means with said one valve memher, a shank rotatably mounted on the second arm and arranged coaxially of the pivotal axis of the first-named arm when the arms are in neutral positions, said shank extending from the second arm in a direction opposite from the first-named arm, means pivotally connecting the other valve member to the shank with the axis of the pivotal connection perpendicular to the axis of the shank and substantially parallel to the pivotal axis of the second arm when the arms are in neutral positions, and an operating lever fixed to the second arm in spaced relation to'the pivotal axis thereof and the axis of the shank and extending from the second arm whereby movement of the lever in a plane perpendicular to the pivotal axis of the second arm swings said second arm about its pivotal axis and moves said other valve member individually and movement of the lever in a plane perpendicular to the pivotal axis of the first-named arm swings both arms about the pivotal axis of the first-named arm and the shank and moves said one valve member individually and movement of the lever in a direction intermediate said plane swings the first and second arms about the pivotal axes of said arm respectively and moves both valve members' simultaneously.

3. A single lever control for a pluralityof valves arranged with longitudinally movable valve members, a support fixed relative to the valves to be controlled, an

arm, means pivotally mounting the arm on the support for swinging movement in a single plane perpendicular spaced from and parallel to the axis of swinging movement of said arm whereby swinging movement of the arm reciprocates said one valve member, a second arm, means pivotally mounting the second arm on the first named arm for swinging movement of said second arm about an axis perpendicular to the axis of swinging movement of the first'named arm and in a plane defined by axes of said swinging movement of the first named arm and the pivotal mounting on said first named arm of a means connected to said one valve member, the pivotal movement of the second arm being in a single plane when the first named arm is at rest, a shank rotatively mounted on the second arm coaxially of the axis of, swinging movement of the first named arm when the second arm is in neutral position, said shank extending from the second arm whereby the pivotal mounting means of the second arm is intermediate the shank and pivotal mounting on the first named arm of the means connected to said one valve member, means operatively connected to the other of the valve members and pivotally mounted on said shank'for rotative movement about an axis spaced from and parallel to the axis of swinging movement of the second arm when i the first named arm is in neutral position whereby swinging movement of said second arm reciprocates said other valve member, and a lever means operatively connected to the second arm for selectively swinging each and both arms for effecting reciprocation of the respective valve members.

References Cited in the file of this patent v UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,541,712 Horn June 9, 1925 2,345,224. Upp Mar. 28,1944 2,396,643 De Ganahl Mar. 19, 1946 2,403,519 Gardiner July 9, 1946 

